Making custom playing cards can be a fun and rewarding experience, whether for personal use, as a unique gift, or even to start your own card game brand. There are two primary avenues to explore: using print on demand services or printing your playing cards at home.
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The Rising Trend of Personalized Playing Cards
The truth is the playing cards market is experiencing growth.
How much?
Well according to market research, there is a projected growth of around 7.75% from 2024 to 2028.
Some of the growth is thanks to the increasing global interest in cardistry and card magic. Which understandable would require very personalized playing cards that would match their style and brand.
Beyond this, people have more options than ever before to create their own personal deck. Take a look at platforms like Etsy and Kickstarter, there has been a boom of interest towards custom made products.
For DIY crafters or those with a strong passion towards a certain topic, you could find joy in creating something unique that aligns with your hobby. Custom playing cards cater to a wide audience and serve multiple purposes, making them a versatile and appealing project.
So now you understand a little bit more about the market trends lets go over the basics.
The Basics of Making Playing Cards
Before diving into the world of personalized playing card printing, it’s essential to understand the basics and the options that are available.
First, consider the design.
What theme or purpose will your cards serve? Will they feature intricate artwork, simple designs, or photographs? The design will set the tone for your entire project.
Even if you do not have a solid foundation now, I would recommend writing a mind map of ideas beginning with your hobbies and then go through some simple sketches.
Next, think about the materials. Playing cards are typically made from high-quality cardstock, which is durable and has a smooth finish, and recently, plastic cards are being used as they are even more durable and waterproof.
But you will definitely have a difficult time trying to make a plastic version at home.
The choice of material will affect the overall feel and longevity of your cards.
Therefore if you are a little bit stuck on how to choose the right cardstock we have a guide for that.
Well, at this stage you might consider what are my options are for creating custom playing cards with a professional printing company.
I got you covered for this.
Below are three different companies you can choose to go with, each of them have their strengths and weaknesses and I’ve provided a link to each of them for you to browse at your convenience.
- Printer Studio:(PS) They offer a wide range of card stock options, finishes, and packaging choices, making them a favorite for both personal and commercial use.
- The Game Crafter: Known for its focus on custom card games, The Game Crafter allows you to create fully personalized decks, including custom box designs. It’s a great option if you’re looking to launch your own card game.
- QPMN: QPMN specializes in high quality custom playing cards and jigsaw puzzles, offering high-quality materials and flexible customization options. With bulk discount options and advanced design tools, this supplier is perfect for those looking to scale their business.
By selecting the right print company, you can ensure that your custom playing cards are printed to the highest standards, with minimal hassle. I’ll go over this more towards the end.
How to Make Your Own Playing Cards at Home
Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Plan Your Design
- Start by deciding on the theme or concept for your deck. Consider what images, colors, and text you want to include.
- Sketch out your ideas, focusing on the front and back designs for the cards.
Step 2: Select Your Materials
- Choose high-quality cardstock for durability. Look for cardstock that is thick enough for repeated handling but thin enough to shuffle easily (A good range can be 300 - 350 GSM).
Step 3: Design Using Software
- Use design software like Adobe Illustrator or Canva to create your card designs. These tools offer templates and design elements to help you craft professional-looking cards.
- Ensure your designs are set to the correct dimensions, typically poker size (2.5 x 3.5 inches).
Step 4: Print the Cards
- Print a test sheet to check colors, alignment, and design quality. Adjust as necessary.
- Use a high-quality printer for the final prints or consider a professional printing service for the best results.
Step 5: Cut the Cards
- Carefully cut out each card using a paper cutter or craft knife and ruler for precise edges.
- Make sure all the cards are uniform in size for a consistent deck.
- Round the corners with the corner rounder.
Step 6: Add Finishing Touches
- Consider laminating your cards for added durability and a professional feel.
- If you want a more tactile finish, consider using a spray or paint-on varnish.
Step 7: Personalize Further
- Add unique touches like signatures, embossing, or stamps to personalize your cards even more.
- Package your cards in a custom box or band to complete the presentation.
Tips for Success:
- Double-check the alignment and spacing in your design files to ensure accurate printing.
- Use high-resolution images and graphics to prevent pixelation.
- If using a professional printer, feel free to consult with them about the best file formats and settings to use.
Additional note.
The step by step guide is for making playing cards to be produced on a printer. You can absolutely skip the design software and printer steps. As you can also achieve very striking custom make playing cards by hand.
How to Make Playing Cards Professionally
The process between DIY and professional routes is nearly identical.
Firstly, you still need to plan and design your idea.
Secondly, you still require design software and a computer + scanner to upload your images.
Though the steps afterwards are smooth sailing.
Because in terms of materials and printing finishes, the world is your oyster, or in other words you should have nearly all available materials and printing finishes to choose from. Printing is done on industrial grade printers and cut to precision.
The result is a very premium personalized playing card deck.
It might sound like a brainer to go professional and have all the materials and equipment waiting for you and I know some of you are thinking about how expensive it will be printing professionally.
So, let’s look at the differences.
DIY vs. Professional Printing
DIY Printing
Pros:
DIY printing offers creative control and can be a rewarding experience. You’ll have the freedom to experiment with designs and make unlimited adjustments as needed up to the very last moment and, heck, you could pull the plug at any moment.
Cost effective, this one you must evaluate your resources before considering it to be a pro for DIY. Depending on the level of quality you want your final personalized playing card deck to be, you may need to invest in a high-quality printer, cutting tools, card stock and art supplies.
On the other hand, if you have most of the items and you’re happy to use existing printer and card stock then yes, this method is very cost effective.
And finally, you get immediate results and gratification. Once you laminate or finish cutting the edges off the last custom playing card, you can use them right away.
Cons:
While you have the freedom to design and craft at your leisure, ultimately, it’s going to be a lengthy process from designing, printing and cutting the cards by hand. A typical playing card deck has 52 cards excluding the jokers.
You might not have the resources available or be able to purchase them optimally as you desire, for example, a card stock may come in packs of 20, and if you were wishing to test the difference between the thickness that’s going to cost more.
Finally, as you are potentially hand drawing, printing and cutting them yourself, there could be many areas which, if not done right, could cause inconsistencies.
Professional Custom Playing Card Printing
Pros:
High quality output, and let me tell you, if it is not high quality, return it and either get them to redo or get a refund. You should expect nothing less when going with a professional print company.
If you were planning on making more than one custom deck or planning on selling them, you would need to be able to scale your operation. Not just scale, you need to deliver quality on every deck. Printing companies are poised to do this and do it every day.
Cons:
Without a doubt there is a higher upfront cost if there are initial setup costs and potentially minimum order requirements.
Longer turnaround time as there could be delays in printing or shipping times.
And there you have it, the comparison to making your own playing cards via DIY or with a printing company.
And if you managed to reach this far, please allow me to introduce a third option which may be particularly appealing to those who fall under the following conditions.
- Want to print professional but don’t want to pay the high upfront cost
- Do not want to be limited by MOQ
- Want to start a side business
Would that be something that interests you?
Then let me introduce to you the print on demand business model and QPMN.
Print on Demand Services
If you're passionate about creating unique playing cards but don't want to invest in expensive printing equipment or commit to large initial orders, print on demand (POD) is the perfect solution. This innovative business model allows you to design and sell high-quality custom playing cards without the traditional headaches of inventory management and upfront production costs.
How Print on Demand Works
- Design Your Cards: Use a user-friendly design tool to create your custom playing cards, including both front and back designs.
- List Your Products: Upload your designs to your online store or marketplace.
- Receive Orders: When a customer purchases your cards, the order is automatically sent to the POD provider.
- Production and Shipping: The provider prints your cards on demand and ships them directly to the customer.
- Get Paid: You earn profit from each sale, minus the cost of production and shipping.
Advantages of Print on Demand
- No Inventory Hassle: Avoid the risks and costs of storing large quantities of unsold products.
- Creative Freedom: Design unique cards tailored to specific niches or customer requests.
- Cost Efficiency: Pay only for what you sell, minimizing financial risk.
- Scalability: Easily grow your business as demand increases without significant upfront investment.
- Global Reach: Sell your products to customers worldwide through integrated shipping solutions.
Learn more about Print on Demand
QP Market Network (QPMN): Your Partner in Print on Demand
POD Design Tool
FlexiBulk Saving
Etsy Integration
Snapshop Lite
Why Partner with QPMN?
- User-Friendly Platform: Our platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs.
- Global Fulfillment: Our reliable worldwide fulfillment network ensures your products reach customers quickly and in perfect condition, no matter where they are.
- No Minimum Order Quantity: Sell a single deck of custom cards or hundreds of puzzles without worrying about upfront costs or inventory risk.
- Quality Assurance: We maintain strict quality standards from raw materials to the finished product, ensuring top craftsmanship.
Ready to start your print-on-demand business? Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help you succeed.
Conclusion
Printing your own playing cards is a rewarding and creative project that offers endless possibilities. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast, DIY crafter, or small business owner, making your own playing cards allows you to express your creativity and bring joy to others. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can design, print, and market your own unique decks.
On the other hand, you can choose to partner with print on demand company to start a side business or just print a single premium deck. The choice is always with you.
Don’t hesitate to share your experiences and creations with us. We love seeing the innovative and beautiful designs our readers come up with. Happy printing!
On the other hand, you can choose to partner with print on demand company to start a side business or just print a single premium deck.
The choice is always with you.
Don’t hesitate to share your experiences and creations with us. We love seeing the innovative and beautiful designs our readers come up with. Happy printing!
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